Williams Extending Important Partnership With Mercedes

F1
Tuesday, 09 January 2024 at 11:00
albon alex williams car
The Williams Formula One team just announced that it will be extending its collaboration with Silver Arrows in the supply of power units beyond the season 2026.
Williams F1 team has been a customer team (the team that purchases power units) of Mercedes ever since the beginning of a hybrid era in 2014.
Its most recent deal with the German team lasted until the end of season 2025. Yesterday, Williams announced the team will be extending its partnership with Mercedes beyond 2026. Team principal of the British team, James Vowles, said through his team's official website:
"We have enjoyed a long-term partnership with Mercedes-Benz, and we are thrilled to extend this collaboration into the next era of Formula 1."
Vowles joined the team a few months ahead of the season 2023, and he came straight from Mercedes, where he has held the position of Motorsport Strategy Director, so the team principal is aware of Mercedes's qualities.
"The expertise, support, and technology that Mercedes brings to the table align perfectly with our team's aspirations in the medium and long term."
Collaboration with the German team will be essential for Williams come 2026. In 2026, F1 will enter an era of regulations that prescribe an entirely new kind of power unit.
Mercedes has proven in the past to be one of the best and most reliable power unit manufacturers on the grid. William's, therefore, decided to enter into a new "long-term" agreement with the German manufacturer.
"This long-term agreement with Mercedes is a positive step and forms part of our objectives for the future, whilst we will still retain our design and manufacturing expertise and capabilities in-house."
Williams now became the second team to prolong its partnership with Mercedes after McLaren, which announced their collaboration extension with Mercedes on 25. November 2023. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said:
"Since 2014, we have continued to build and develop our relationship with Williams. As the team continues to put the foundations in place to challenge at the front of the grid, we look forward to supporting them with our power unit supply."